Automatic rotor valve



Feb. 1 1938. v. D. BEEHLER ET AL 2,106,942

` AUTOMATIC ROTOR VALVE Filed Sept. l0, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V EN TORS Feb, 1, 1938. v. D. BEEHLER ET AL 2,105,942

AUTOMATI C ROTOR VALVE Filed sept. 1o, 1934 2 shee'tsfsneet 2 Patented Feb= 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A2,106,942 AUTOMATIC, aoron vALva cago, Ill.

Application September 10, 1934, Serial No. '143,388

13 Claims.

Our invention relates to valves and more papticularly to rotor valves for control of gas or other fluids.

The general object of our invention is to provide a single rotor valve adapted to service one or more burners, in which is incorporatedy an automatic control to prevent intermediate vpositioning of the valve between certain adjustments.

Another object ofv our inventionis to provide a. rotor valve in combination with a pressure regulator which is eiilcient under all conditions of temperature and pressure.

Another object is to provide a -rotor valve adapted to automatically assure certain preselected adjustments, operating in combination with a pressure regulator coacting with said valve.

Another object is-to provide a power control for a rotor valve which will allow adjustment at denite selected positions and prevent any intermediate adjustment between those positions by returning the valve automatically to the selected positions.

Another object is to provide a rotor valve which supplies gas selectively to a low burner adjustment and to a high burner adjustment, which is equipped with a power means acting circumferentiallyto prevent any intermediate adjustment between low and high burner adjustment and which will allow all stages of adjustment between low burner and off position.

A further object is to apply a tangential force to thegsliding element of a rotor valve which will tend to rotate the rotor when opposed by a cam face and allow the rotating element to retain its position when bearing tangentially against the side of the cam.

A still further object is to apply a spring controlled element tangentially to the rotating member of a rotor valve whose action will be initiated by contact with a cam -face on assumption by the rotor of a rst preselected adjustment and continue to return the rotor to that adjustment until the cam point has rotated past the element to assume a second preselected adjustment and which will again continue to return the rotor to the i'lrst adjustment when the cam point has passed the element onreversal of the rotating motion.

Another object is to provide a rotor valve combined with a steam pressure shut-off in which the rotor and shut-oil means are housed within the valve and in which the automatic features are concealed and simpliiied.

In pursuance of the foregoing'objects We aim to provide' a rotor valve housing a steam pressure regulator and a rotor member, which supplies selectively a small burner alone and jointly a small burner and a large burner with a regulated gas supply and which can be set in all intermediate stages of adjustment between shut-oil. position and on" position for the small burner but which cannot be set for any intermediate stages between the full on position for both burners and an adjustment at which the large burner is shut off, which corresponds simultaneously with a full on position for the small burner alone. Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent as the description proceeds takenin connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a top view of a preferred form of the valve with the handle removed.

Fig. 2 is a section on 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom'view of the body on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modication of the latch arrangement on the handle.

Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4 with the handle and conical spring removed.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on 6 6 of Fig. '7 showing a modiiication.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view on 'l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a top view of another modiilcation showing the rotor on the outside.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation on Fig. 8-with the handle and base removed.

While our invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, we have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail a preferred embodiment thereof, together with several modifications, with the understanding that we do not intend to limit our invention to the particular construction and arrangement shown, it being contemplated that various changes may 4be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

A need has been felt for a combined valve' and regulator for :iiuid red steam devices which will maintain its high eiiiciency under all conditions of temperature and pressure. In adapting a. rotor valve to this function problems were presented in connection with regulation and control where one valve jointly serves several outlets.

Steam pressure regulators operating on a dia-- phragm have been known, but it is felt that previously no attempt has been made to combine the benets of a rotor valve with a steam pressure regulator in a novel, well protected manner. The principle of the rotor valve has been Acalled upon to perform this service and the application .is

. devoted in part to the solution ofthe attendant difiiculties.

Fig. 1` shows the valve in the position which it would customarily occupy on the side of a gas heated steam radiator of the type usually used for space heating purposes. base portionv 5 screws into the radiator by means of threads 6 and to it is attached the body 1 of the valveby means of screws 8. Within the body-and rotatably sliding thereon is a rotor 9 which is turned by handle I8 by means of stem I I to which both are firmly attached.

Gasfenters the valve at inlet I5, shown also j in dotted position behind the stem in Fig. 2.

From the inlet the gas enters and fills the gas chamber I6 and passes around the bottom of the` rotor 9 into passage I1. A short duct I8 connects the passage I1 with a curved groove or slot I9 formed on the face of the rotor. A 'bypass also. connects the gas chamber with groove I9. In the adjustment illustrated in Fig. 2 the rotor is turned so that gas is being fed to port 23 which supplies a large or high flame burner, which it is not felt necessary to show. A conduit 24 conducts the gas from port 23, to which it has been delivered by groove or aperture I9, to the threaded outlet 25. A small or low flame burner, also not shown but which con-A nects directly to the valve, is supplied by gas passing into port 26, and then thru outlet 21. This port is always open when port 23 is being supplied but may continue open after .port 23 has Vbeen closed. 'Ihe position that rotorslot or groove I9 would occupy for full off position is shown by the dotted lines on Fig. 3. The arrow indicates the direction of movement in turning the gas on, and it will be: readily seen that prt 26 can be supplied before port 23 need be turned on, and that when port 23 is on both are neces# sarily on for the' particular arrangement shown in this embodiment. By the simple expedient of providing a rotor with ytwo or more grooves, depending on the number of ports and outlets to be supplied, gas may be carried to any single port opening without it being Ynecessary to open any other port and the same principle can be carriedas far as convenience will permit a multiplicity of outlets.

When the valve is in operation among/its common uses is to supply fuel for generating steam in a boiler or a combination gas and steam radiator. If this be the case the base,5 may be connected to the steam reservoir so that chamber 30 will be filled with steam under whatever pressure is maintained in the radiator. As the pressure increases due to the continued heating of the water in theradiator vitacts againsta diaphragm 3| clamped between gaskets 32 and 33 and tends to push the diaphragm toward the rotor. 'I'he point w'lll be reached where the diaphragm will close the lower end of passage I1 and correspondingly cut off the flow of gas through it. At this point gas continues to be indicating when the device is at shut-oil', low

this end the handle III is provided with a pointer 35, which, aided by marks on the body, indicates the corresponding position of the rotor.. Slots I or stops 36, 31 and 38 are formed in a head piece 48 and are adapted to receive a wedge portion 39 of the handle to retain the handle immovable in the respective positions of' off, low and high. A coiled spring 4I acts between the bottom of 48 and a washer 42 bearing against the shoulder 43 of the handle I0.

For attachment of the loosely fitting handle III eccentrically to stem II a pin 45 is used. The action of spring 4I is therefore to return the handle I0 to horizontal position after tilting and to maintain the wedge 39 in any one of the ly without the necessity of stem Il being rigidly in degree alignment with the rotor. To form a gas tight joint without hamperingthe freedom of thestem connection with the rotor, a cap screw 50 is screwed into the passage I1 against a washer 5I.

For reasons particular to the adaptation of the device to the purpose described it is desired to have the rotor adjustable to all intermediate positions between off position and low but to assure no intermediate adjustments between "low" and high, thereason being that lan adjustment slightly above low wouldv permitgas to pass from outlet 25 to the very `large burner but in insuiiicient quantity for ignition. with attendant loss and danger. Accordingly a heavy spring 55 is provided, anchored at the bottom at 55 and the top end 51 protruding through slot 58 in head piece 48.

Tension is set in the spring 55 on assembly by twisting it the desired amount before fastening head piece 40 with its 5screws 44. A pin 59 is positioned in stem I0 so that as the handle is A turned to low position the pin 59 comes into contact with the end of the already tense spring 55. From this position to high position the rotation is constantly against the force of spring 55 so that if the handle be released in any intermediate position it will be immediately forced back to the point marked low. There is a slot 38 at high position which holds the wedge 39 of the handle in full high position only, from which it may be released by tilting the handle I0..

In'idescribing the operation let us assume the valve is to be on 05" position. In this case the pointer 35 of the handle would point toward the bottom of the page if shown on Fig. 1 and would be engaged in slot 36. The groove in the face of the rotor would be in position somewhat as indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 3. From this point, when the handle is disengaged by tilting it may be turned toward low as slot I9 is moved in the arrow direction to gradually open port 26, and an attached burner may be lit at any ,intermediateadjustment where suflicient gas is supplied. At low position the wedge 39 under pointer 36 is engaged in slot 31. At this point the pin 59 comes into contact with the upward extending end 51 of spring 55 which is held under As v tension in this position by the end 6| of slot. the handle is moved from low toward high the pin 59 picks up the springend 51 and carries it along so that if the handle is released the spring immediately forces it back to the low position where the spring movement is halted and theconical spring 4| snaps the handle wedge into slot 31. When the handle is finally turned to full high position a similar snapping action engages it in slot 38, where it is held until manually released by tilting. At this adjustment the rotor groove i9 opens both ports 23 and 26 allowing gas to pass thereto from the gas chamber.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modification of the spring return means. The rotor is attached as usual to the bottom of stem I and the parts held in place by conical spring 9| which is retained under tension by shoulder 10 oi' the stem. A heavy spring 55 is Wound loosely about the stem and the upward end 51 protrudes through a slot 58' far enough to hook into a hole 1| on boss 12 of handle I'. A wedge shaped pin 13 engages in slots 36', 31 and 38. The bifurcated end of lever 16 slips into a groove 15 of the pin 13 by means of which it can be disengaged by lever yaction manually from the slots. A V shaped spring 16 acts upon thelever 16 and pushes it upward and consequently the wedge pin 13 downward into engagement with the slots. The principle of operation is the same as that previously described for the preferred form except that disengagement is acf ccmplished by pressing a lever rather than by tilt- Gil ing the handle, and the pointer 35' serves solely as a direction indicator.

Figs. 6 and 7 show views of a modication of the device in which is incorporated a slightly different application of the return power means. this arrangement a power element or force is applied more or less tangentially to the rotor means and a cam action is utilized to react with the power element. The base is attached tothe body 80 by screws 8| and spaced therefrom by the diaphragm 3| and a spacing ring 02. A rotor 83 turns with stem 80 and is retained in position by conical spring 85. A handle is attachable at 83. The circumference |03 of rotor 83 is extended as at 86 to form a cam face 01 and a stop shoulder 88. A disc 9| attached to a curved shank 92 slides along the face 93 of the attachment 94. Attachment 96 is relieved -at 95 for disc 9| and has a boss 96 forming a positive stop for the disc at the other end. A spring 91 tends to draw the disc toward the boss.

In the position shown in Fig. '1 the valve is open with the full line lposition of rotor groove |00 opening into both large rirt |01 and small port |02. A stop pin |03 prevents further clockwise motion. The disc 9| is under tension counter-clockwise, but in the full open position shown.

the direction of force tends to act radially of the rotor and secure the latter in its position. As the rotor is rotated counter-clockwise to effect a closing the cam face 81 passes the disc 9| and the tension on 9| draws it out fromY the relieved portion 95 of the attachment 94 toward the smaller circumference |00 of the rotor which is posi- 4tioned to leave suiiicient space |05 between itself and the attachment so that disc 9| can slide along within it. Disc 9| acting against the cam face 81 draws the rotor counter-clockwise until the disc stops against boss 96 at which point the rotor is in low position, or feeding the small port |02 only. The rotor may be rotated still further in a. counter-clockwise direction, unaccompanied by spring pressure until face 88 rests against pin |03 which is a full off position. The flow of gas from inlet |06 to chamber |01 and thence through passage |08 to groove |00 is identical with the action of Figs. 1 to 3. .1

Another modification of the device in which the rotor is exposed is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. The usual type o-f base 5 is shown separated by a diaphragm 3| from the body |25 of the valve. The face |26 of rotor |21 slides against a corresponding face |28 of body |25. Thel rotor is keyed to a stern |29 extending into the valve body at |30 where it is secured by a screw |3| and washers |32. A spring |33 bearing against washer |34 and shoulder |35 of stern |29 pushes the rotor tightly into contact and a handle |36 is aiiixed non-rotatably to the stem.

Gasflows from inlet |60 to port |I|| from which it passes to the groove |42 in rotor |21. The groove may conduct it thence to port |43 or-jointly to ports |63 and |69 depending on the position of the rotor. From |63 it may go by way of outlet |69 to a small burner directly. In this embodiment gas from |00 must traverse passage |95 and flow around the end adjacent the diaphragm into a gas chamber |06. A bypass |41 also leads from passage |65 into chamber |46. From here the gas is conducted, subject to diaphragm regulation in the usual manner, to the outlet or high burner supply |08; 'A plug |50 prevents leakage of gas Vfrom .the chamber |66 past the loosely fitting valve stem |29.

The automatic return in this modification is provided by a spring pressed pin |55. A boss |56 is built up on the body |25 which is drilled out to house a coiled spring |51 retained in place by a sleeve |58 which screws into place. A collar |59 held in place by a cotter pin |60 bears against the other end of the spring. On rotor |21 is a cam |63 whose face |60 contacts pin |55. The position of the rotor and groove shown in Fig. 8 is for low or small burner adjustment. From this position the rotor may be turned counterclockwise to oif position without pressure from the spring pressed pin which stops when the collar |59 hits the shoulder |65 formed in boss |56. Gas at off position fills the grove but it is not conducted to any of the outlets.

From the low position portrayed the rotor may be turned clockwise to high" position in which both ports are receiving gas. While the movement is being made from low to high the face |66 of the cam is continually pressing against the pin which will immediately return the adjustment to low if the rotor is mantion and throws it quickly-and positively to low position.

AIt will be noted that in this modification the steam pressure control through the d'aphragm acts only on the gas travelling to the large outlet while the small outlet is unaffected. Other combinations of control can be readily conceived from the above, and it is the intent of this inven-v tion to cover such variations in principle of which the described modifications represent a few examples. The pressure shut-01T is customarily for steam but other fluid or liquid pressuresH are supplied and regulated, yeither separately or jointly, and in which adjustments between two or more positions can be automatically made or prevented. A f

l. combined rotor valve and pressure shutoil comprising a valve body and a rotor housed within said body, a fluid chamber within said body, a passage for fluid therethrough, `a base member forming a' pressure chamber separated from said body by a diaphragm, said rotor being positionable to selectively conduct gas to a plurality of outlets, said diaphragm being positionable againstsaid passage vto eilect closure thereof a handle attached to said rotor engageable in stops at predetermined positions of said rotor, a power means operable on said rotor between certain stops to effect return of said rotor to a selected position and inoperative between other stops. .i

- 2. A combined rotor valve and steam pressure shut-oil' comprising a body and a rotor housed within said body. a gas chamber within said body having an inlet means and an outlet means, -a base member forming a steam chamber attachable to said valve, said steam chamber separated therefrom by a diaphragm, said gas outlet means comprising a passage in said rotor, an aperture in the face of said rotor and a series of ports opening through said body; said rotor being positionable to selectively conduct gas Ito said ports, a bypass connecting thev gas chamber with the aperture, said diaphragm being -positionable against said passage to eifect closure thereof.

3. A combined rotor valve and pressure shutoif comprising a base member, a body member separated therefrom by a diaphragm, a rotor, a fluid inlet to said body communicating with an aperture vin said rotor, said aperture being positionable with said body. member to communicate successively with a low burner port'and a high burner port therein; said low burner port connectedwith an outlet, said'high burner port communicating with a uid chamber within said body through a passage whose open end lies adjacent said diaphragm, a bypass between said passage and said chamber, said diaphragm being subject to` displacement against the open .end of said passage for interruption of the ow of iluid past said end, an outlet from said fluid chamber for the regulated flow of gas'.

4. A combined rotor valve and steam pressure shut-off comprising a base member, a body member separated therefrom by a-diaphragm and a rotor means; an aperture in the contact face of said rotor, a gas chamber in saidbody, means for conducting gas through =said aperture between said chamber. and a series of individual outlet means, said rotor being positionable to establish said aperture as a passage respectively between said chamber and selected arrangements of said individual outlet means; an automatic force acting circumferentially to said rotor means, an element on said rotor means in contact relation with said force, a retreat for said force at a one preestablished position whereat i said rotor will retain the position` occupied and snoepen before which said rotor is returnable to another preestablished previous position, said circumferential forcebeing inoperative at positions preceding said previous position.

5. A rotor valve comprising a body, a rotor means and means for conducting fluid through said valve, a small outlet means and a large out-` let means from said body, said valve having aL shut-on position, a small outlet position and a position for said small and large outlets jointly,

an automatic detent operable at each of saidA positions, and an automatic means for preventing the establishment of intermediate positions between the smallV outlet and joint outlet positions.

6. A rotor valve comprising a body, a rotor means and a pressure shut-off means, means for conducting fluid through said valve, a series of successive outlet means from said body, said valve having a shut-off position and succeeding fixed -positions at said successive outlet means, an automatic detent operable at each of said positions, and an automatic means for establishing certain valve preselected positions, operative in one direction and inoperative in the opposite direction from said certain positions.

7. A rotor valve comprising a body, a rotor having several positions and a rotating'means for. said rotor, said means comprising a stem, a handle, a spring, a coacting latch means on said body and said rotating means for retaining said rotating means in certain preselected positions, said handle plvotally mounted on said stem by a pin` eccentrically positioned in said handle, said spring being operable to draw said rotor in sliding contact with said base and simultaneously empress said handle bodily toward a latching position.

8. A rotor valve comprising a body and a rotor means, said means including a rotor, a stem` and a handle rotatable with. said rotor; said body having ajslot therein, a spring anchored to said body having an element thereof translatable along said slot, said rotating means positionable independently of said spring during a preliminary portion ofthe rotation and engageable with said element of the spring during a secondary portion of the rotation for returning said rotating means to said preliminary portion of the rotation.

9`. In combination, a rotor valve means and a pressure control means, passage means for conducting gas through said valve means having an opening adjacent said control means, said control means'being movable toward the opening to regulate the capacity of said opening, a large outlet and a small outlet from said valve means, said valve means having a position for` opening said small and large outlets jointly, a position for opening said small outlet alone and a shutoff'position, an automatic means for establishing one of said positions, voperative between certain of said positions and inoperative between others `of said positions.

said opening to said passage means, said valve means having a position for passing a large quantity of gas, a position for passing a small quantity oi' gas and a shut-oil' position, an automatic 1 return from one of said positions to another of said positions.

11. A rotor valve comprising a body, a rotor means and a pressure shut-off means, passage means for conducting fluid through said body and said rotor means, having an opening adjacent said shut-oi means, said shut-oi means comprising a diaphragm movable to and away from said opening to regulate the quantity of i'luid passing therethrough, a small outlet means and a large outlet means from said body, said valve having a shut-oir position, a small outlet position, and a position for said small and large outlets jointly, an automatic detent operative at each of said positions, an automatic yieldable means for preventing intermediate positions between certain of said positions.

- 12. A sliding valve device comprising a body. a floating rotor, actuating means therefor and :o passage means for conducting gas through said i body and said rotor, outlet means comprising a plurality of individual outlets supplied by said valve, said rotor being posltionable to progresfsively open said outlets, a pressure regulating means operative at certain positions to vary the capacity of 'the conducting means, automatic means operable to movethe rotor to a position for opening certain of the outlet means.

13. A rotor valve comprising a body, a rotor and a rotating means for said rotor, said means .comprising a stem, a handle, a spring and a coasting latch means on said body and said rotating means for retaining said rotating means in/ any of several positions, said handle pivotally secured to said stem by a. pin located eccentrically in said stem, said spring being operable to move said handle bodily to a latching position.

VERNON D.' BEEHLER. ROBERT n. Mcm'rosrr. 

